Malawi VP Missing
Plane carrying Malawi’s vice president goes missing
Malawian Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima’s military plane went missing after departing from Lilongwe and failing to arrive at Mzuzu International Airport as planned. President Lazarus Chakwera canceled a trip to coordinate a search and rescue mission. Chilima, who was recently cleared of bribery charges, was on board the plane. The government is actively working to gather information and keep the public informed of any developments in the situation.
Key Concepts
- Malawian Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima’s military plane went missing after taking off from Lilongwe.
- President Lazarus Chakwera canceled a trip to coordinate a search and rescue operation.
- Chilima had previously been involved in a bribery scandal, but the charges were dropped.
- The plane failed to land at Mzuzu International Airport as scheduled.
- The government is working to establish facts and communicate updates to the public.
According to a statement from the Malawian government, the military plane carrying Malawian Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima went missing and failed to arrive on Monday morning (June 10).
The plane took off just after 9 a.m. local time, carrying 51-year-old Vice President Chilima and nine other people. The plane left the capital, Lilongwe, but failed to land at Mzuzu International Airport, about 370 kilometers to the north, 45 minutes later.
“Since the aircraft disappeared from radar, aviation authorities have made every effort to contact the aircraft, but so far have been unsuccessful,” a government press release said.
President Lazarus Chakwera has canceled a work visit to the Bahamas. He called for an immediate search and rescue operation, according to the release.
“As the facts are established, any developments regarding this situation will be communicated to the public,” the statement concluded.
Chilima was stripped of his powers after he was arrested and charged in a bribery scandal in 2022, but a court in Malawi withdrew his case after he appeared in court several times and the chief prosecutor filed a withdrawal notice.